A dark cloud hangs over Shannon Sharpe’s career as reports surface of a disturbing accusation from his time at Fox Sports. The Hall of Fame tight end and media personality, known for his brash commentary and larger-than-life presence, was accused of choking a female production assistant at FS1, the network’s sports channel, during his tenure on the debate show Undisputed. The allegation, which emerged in a report published on April 25, 2025, paints a troubling picture of an incident that never made it to court but left ripples in its wake.
The accusation stems from Sharpe’s time at FS1, where he sparred verbally with co-host Skip Bayless for years before parting ways with the network in 2023. According to sources cited in a detailed account by Front Office Sports, the alleged choking incident occurred in the workplace, though no specific date was provided. The accuser, a female production assistant, claimed Sharpe physically assaulted her, an assertion that led to a swift response from Fox. No lawsuit was filed, but the matter was quietly resolved. A settlement, reportedly in the range of several hundred thousand dollars, was paid to the accuser, bringing the issue to a close without public fanfare.
Sharpe’s representative pushed back hard against the choking claim. In a statement to Front Office Sports, the rep insisted there was “no incident of choking” on the FS1 set. Instead, they described a moment of “light physical interaction” among Sharpe and colleagues, framing it as playful and consensual. The statement didn’t elaborate on the nature of the interaction or why it prompted a hefty settlement, leaving gaps in the story that haven’t been filled by official records or further comment from Fox.
The report comes at a fraught moment for Sharpe, who recently stepped away from ESPN amid a separate $50 million lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault. That case, filed in 2025, has fueled scrutiny of his past, with media outlets digging into whether other allegations might lurk in his professional history. The FS1 incident, though settled years ago, now adds fuel to the fire, raising questions about Sharpe’s conduct behind the scenes.
Fox Sports has stayed mum on the matter, offering no public statement or confirmation of the settlement. The lack of a lawsuit or formal charges means no court documents exist to shed light on the accuser’s claims or the network’s handling of the situation. What’s clear is that the issue was resolved discreetly, a common move in high-profile media disputes where public relations and legal risks collide.
Sharpe, for his part, has not addressed the choking allegation directly. His departure from ESPN and the ongoing lawsuit have kept him in the headlines, but he’s remained tight-lipped about the Fox incident. The former NFL star, once celebrated for his candid takes and relentless work ethic, now faces a reckoning as these accusations chip away at his public image.
The facts are stark: an accusation of choking, a settlement in the hundreds of thousands, and a denial from Sharpe’s camp. Beyond that, the story remains murky, locked away in the private dealings of a network and a star who’ve both moved on. For now, the allegation stands as a troubling footnote in Sharpe’s storied career, one that neither he nor Fox seems eager to revisit.